The Space For App Developers

ipla lite application was recently released, this is an Adobe AIR/Flex based client of video content published by Polsat group. Polsat is one of the biggest TV stations in Poland. This release is really great news for Mac and Linux users because ipla’s original version released in 2008 was only available for Windows platforms. In this case Adobe AIR brings outstanding capabilities like: video, audio and cross-platform support. At the moment this release allows watching live streaming content, prerecorded TV shows in VOD mode, do video search and navigate through video categories. I know there are other plans to extend it with features known from full Windows version like social networking. Personally I would also like to see capabilities like local video caching (for offline mode watching), Twitter integration, video deeplinking (maybe something similar as we recently introduced for the content from Adobe MAX) – time will show

Here are some screens with application UI:

Raiffeisen Bank Polska has just released first ever full e-Banking solution based on Adobe AIR technology. This release brings full functionality of what was always available via browser built with Flex. This is great news especially for those that have really slow or low bandwidth internet connections at home, office or are connecting with GSM modems, unfortunately this is still reality among Polish internet providers. This application lowers the required bandwidth to the actual minimum, no graphics no layout no html has to be transferred over the wire, only pure data.

This application is a great example of AIR technology itself but also possibility of deploying Flex browser code on the desktop. I’m hoping we will see more integration with desktop in upcoming releases. I can immediately imagine things like: direct desktop notifications of account transactions, stocks rates alerts, upcoming payments alerts, data caching for complex data intensive calculations and analysis (using encrypted SQLite), drag-and-drop transaction confirmations directly from AIR app to desktop or other applications in formats like PDF, XLS etc.

Here are couple of screens with running application:

Application can be downloaded and installed via badge from this location: https://www.r-bank.pl/web/en/air/ this applies only to Polish Raiffeisen Bank customers of course.

Last week I was presenting at MAX 2009 in LA where I talked about Flex and Adobe AIR in Government, it was based on e-Deklaracje Desktop application released by Polish Ministry of Finance (you can find more info about e-Deklaracje Desktop in one of my previous posts here). Important here is to note that e-Deklaracje received Honorable Mention in Adobe 2009 MAX Awards.  My presentation was focusing on requirements, challenges and solutions that Ministry of Finance faced during implementation of e-Deklaracje. Here is the link to video of my presentation online. At the end I concluded with my personal manifesto that I believe e-Government Rich Internet Applications should be guided by to achieve success! Manifesto is made of four mandatory bullets that are in totally random order but each as equal in its value:

Consistency – application should work consistently on all major operating systems, browsers or even hardware without compromises. Citizens should have freedom of using different environments and achieve same user experience.

Openness – the architecture of the application should be open and available to the public. Preferably it should use communication channels and formats based on open standards e.g. HTTP, SOAP, AMF or JASON. These commodities will make integration and extensions easier for the public.

Experience – citizens’ experience should be as straightforward as possible and that applies to anything like usage, accessibility or installation procedures. Actually experience should engage and drive the user through the application.

Security – this is the most obvious one but shouldn’t be forgotten. User data should be secure not only on server side or over communication channels but also on the client side. Encryption to storage or access should be applied where possible, giving the user confidence while using the application.

Any comments are most likely welcome. RIA is trend now that whole industry is going towards and as citizens and users of e-Government applications we should expect same from public institutions solutions.

Już jutro wybieram się na konferencję Adobe MAX! W związku z tym chciałem jeszcze przed samym wyjazdem ogłosić coś nad czym pracowałem ostatnie parę tygodni. Mianowicie będzie to cykl warsztatów poświęconych tematyce RIA w tym oczywiście Flex’owi i Adobe AIR. Założenie moje jest takie żeby objechać wszystkie główne ośrodki akademickie w Polsce i przeprowadzić otwarte wykłady i warsztaty dla wszystkich zainteresowanych. W tej chwili na mapie są: Gdańsk, Gliwice, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Poznań, Toruń, Warszawa i Wrocław. Jednak same wykłady i warsztaty to nie wszystko, na zakończenie odbędzie się specjalna edycja konkursu Flex Challenge dedykowana dla studentów! Będą super nagrody, myślę, że podobnie jak w roku ubiegłym uda nam się ufundować jakieś produkty firmy Adobe i Apple

Objazd po uczelniach oraz konkurs będą się kryły pod nazwą Flex Challenge Academic Tour. W najbliższym czasie wszystkie potrzebne informacje znajdziecie na stronie Flex Challenge oraz powiązaną z częścią wykładową Akademią Pana Flexa.

Wszystkich zainteresowanych wsparciem w organizowaniu wydarzenia Flex Challenge Academic Tour gorąco zachęcam do pisania pod adres wspolpraca [małpa] flexchallenge [kropka] pl. Wszelka pomoc się przyda, do tego dodam jeszcze, że lista miast, które planuję odwiedzić nie jest zamknięta!

Organizatorem tegorocznych zawodów jest polski oddział Adobe wraz wybranymi partnerami i grupami Adobe w danych lokalizacjach, natomiast sponsorami wydarzenia jest polski oddział Adobe oraz Janmedia.